[brumcg]

I was asked to review the 2002 Passporter when I received it, and Amazon.com finally got around to sending it to me.

The Passporter is a combination guidebook, organizer, and planner in a ring binder format. I bought the deluxe edition for $27.97 at Amazon.com; there is a non-Deluxe edition available for $21.95. I think that the difference is the deluxe edition comes with an unexpectedly nice faux leather cover. A nice touch...refills are available from the publisher for $17.56; if you like the PassPorter, you don't have to buy the whole kit again - just the annual update. Also, I noticed that they have printable page updates from their website, and that's a great service considering how fast things can change at WDW!

I had seen a previous version in a bookstore, but it didn't get on my shopping list until my wife and I did the "I don't have the priority seating list, you do, no you do, I'm sure I gave it to you, no you didn't" routine (for the record, she was right, of course!).

As I see it, there are 2 key elements to the "book"; one is a nice 286-page guidebook and the other is the planning pages/envelopes. I'd rate the guidebook as the second best that I've seen (the best is Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide, IMO). The planning page/envelopes are, however, what makes this different from any other guidebook.

The GuideBook itself uses planning as its theme. Throughout are lists and worksheets to work out budgets, travel, lodging, attraction visiting, etc... It spends whopping 87 pages on lodging - 64 on reviewing the Disney properties. A great map and lots of useful information accompany each resort. IMO, it covers the resorts better than any other publication.

Surprisingly, the 4 main parks themselves only get a total of 54 pages. Each attraction is covered in a paragraph or so, but they do pack quite a few things into each entry: 3-4 ratings, type of attraction, popularity, age appropriateness, any possible warnings (i.e. "loud", "sudden drops"), what kind of line to expect, how long the attraction lasts, a mostly factual description of the ride including height restrictions and wheelchair access, and possibly an Allie's Kid Tips. Each attraction has a rating by Author Jennifer Watson, Author Dave Marx, a Reader rating (I believe tallied from their extensive website), and maybe an Allie Marx "A-OK!" rating. Allie is the 9-year-old daughter of author Dave Marx, and an "A-OK!" means she thinks it's fine for kids. Her "Allie's KidTip" at the bottom of the descriptions range from the sublime (recommendations on where kids should sit) to the ridiculous (letting kids know the volcano in Epcot's Mexico isn't real!). Personally, I love the compactness of each entry, but I rarely look at any of the ratings other than the Readers. For example, Jennifer rates Tower of Terror a 3 out of 10 and Allie doesn't like it (Dave and the Readers give it a 9/10). I like Sehlinger's rating breakdowns more. Oh...each Park has a great fold out map! A huge plus in my book!

The extras (Water Parks, Downtown Disney, Disney Quest, etc...) are covered in the same detail as the attractions in the 4 main parks - a nice touch. Dining gets 41 pages. I LOVE to eat at WDW, but the author's tastes are quite a bit different than my own, and I found this section disappointing. Most other areas get a page or two (Childcare, Backstage Tours, Special Events, etc...). Oh...there is a FANTASTIC list of web sites in the book - the best list I've seen - although the best website isn't listed - DisneyCentral! Must have been too new...

Another important note... All of the 2002 books drive me crazy since they were written around May 2001. Because of the late publication date, PassPorter was written through November 2001; the bonus is that they have all of the info regarding the cutbacks.

From a visual perspective, the maps get high praise from me, but photos are few and far between and all in black and white. I'm not a fan of Birnbaum's text content, but if I want to get the kids jazzed about Disney, no other publication has the same effect as Birnbaum's with the great pictures and color graphics.

On to the PassPockets...the planning pages/envelopes. In the deluxe edition, I received 14 of them... One for "Our Journey", one for "Our Lodging", ten "Day" pages, one blank page, and one "Our Magic Memories" page. Each is an envelope that you could put receipts, coupons, pictures, whatever. Each page has spaces (front and back) for exactly what you would think - stuff like flight information, rental car, "things to do" checklists, budget/expense tracking, "notes for next time", reservation info of all kind, and plenty of places to write down the memories that you want to make sure to jot down. If you want/need more envelopes, you can order additional from the publisher.

I like what I see in the Passporter, but I'll withhold my final judgement until my trip is complete (in Early June). The planning aspect of the book is what makes it unique and somewhat pricey; if you don't use the planning bits, then you'd be much better off with Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide. I’m hoping that I’ll fully utilize the planning and journal aspect of the PassPorter, and then I’ll have a permanent record of our trip to supplement my dodgy memory.

Whew! Thanks for reading! I’ll be happy to answer any specific questions.

Bruce

[mickey]

Great review. We are usually pretty organized, but what would be nice is a place to write down things to do and not to do. It seems like we continually make the same mistakes year after year.

[MickeyMac]

Super info! I'm looking into books myself - I found a bunch of year 2000 books for $1. each at a used book store and bought them (birnbaums being one of them) I want to get a current one, and was wondering how large the delux version of the Passporter is.

you also mention a coordinating website - could you post the URL?

[brumcg]

Howdy MickeyMac!

By size, I think you're asking about the physical dimensions. It's 9.5" x 7" x 2" and I'd say it weighs roughly a pound (think of a small Franklin planner). Page count is 286 + the special pages. Ideally, I think they'd like folks to take them to the parks. I probably will, but we'll have a diaper bag and a stroller with us anyway. If we didn't, I think it's probably too big to carry around all day.

The website is www.passporter.com.

Bruce

[lvbug]

Thanks for the review Bruce. I was wondering about the passporter but at almost $30 i didn't have the guts to order it without getting some feedback. I am wondering how does the author's taste in restaurants differ from yours and like the unofficial guide -- did they have any user feedback in the book? lvbug

[MickeyMac]

Wow! I'm glad I didn't order it - that's too huge for me!

I picked up an Unofficial Guide and Birnbaums just for the graphics. Someone suggested I take what I need and laminate it and make my own informal guide. I have a Mickey daytimer/passport holder that I use - it carries a ton and it's really little, so I think I"ll use that.

thanks for the website... what a "duh" I pulled on the name, huh?? :D

[MouseketerVero]

Hi Bruce!

That was a great review.I was wondering, How can I buy it if I'm live in Mexico? Do you know the cheapest way can I get it? or How can I get it? Amazon can send it to me? (me and my dumb question) Sorry! :D


255 days to go!!!

[mickey]

Amazon can ship anywhere in the world, but the question is "Do you want them to?" I believe shipping for one book to Mexico is $7.99. You can see the shipping information by clicking here. You can just click on the picture of the book on the front page and it will take you right to the order page. There is also a smaller version, that only includes the book, and not the planner. You can find it by clicking on the same book on the front page, and you will see it listed with some other books.

[brumcg]

Lvbug,

On the food, I was probably a bit unfair. I just noticed that several places that we thought were so-so, they had rated high. The one I remember off the top of my head for sure was Maya Grill that they loved, and we thought was a huge disappointment - and I've heard the same from many other folks. Of course, what I always need to keep in mind and often forget, is that menus can change, chefs can change, etc... I just seemed really out of sync with their ratings.

Also, in comparison to the Unofficial Guide, in the Passporter I just didn't feel like I had enough info to make a call one way or the other. In its favor, I did think it did a better job than something like Wiley's Disney with Kids which only gives a sentence or two on each restaurant.

They do have user feedback in the form of the readers rating on almost everything (on a 1-10 scale). There are a few reader comments sprinkled in the book, but you don't really get the same scope of comments that the Unofficial Guide offers.

Bruce

[lvbug]

Bruce,
Thanks for the feedback. I like the idea of the passporter -- but for $$ sake, I think I like Ariel's idea, photocopy&laminate some of the unofficial guide info and put it into a smaller binder/daytimer for myself. lvbug

[MouseketerVero]

Mickey,

Thanks again, like always you help me alot!

--------------------------------------------------------

254 days to go!!! °0°

[brumcg]

MickeyMac wrote:

Wow! I'm glad I didn't order it - that's too huge for me!

I just read something on the PassPorter site that makes sense and addresses this concern. I've also been debating the sense of taking this book into the parks, and I wouldn't even consider it if we wouldn't have a stroller, diaper bag, etc...

Many people don't take the whole book to the park, but, instead they take just the PassPocket envelope for that particular day. The PassPockets are envelopes about 5.5" x 9" and, of course, weigh almost nothing. The envelopes contain space for the following:

Wake up:
Early Morning:
Breakfast:
Morning:
Blank:
Lunch:
Afternoon:
Blank:
Dinner:
Evening:
Blank:
Before Bed:

Each line has a place for the time of day, a brief entry, and confirmation numbers.

Special Plans for the day:

2 lines worth.

Things to Do, Places to Go, Attactions to Visit:

8 spaces in a checklist format:

Notes:

4 lines worth

Then on the back:

The Weather today was:
The best thing today was:
The worst thing today was:
THe funniest thing today was:
Today we tried:
and the result was:
The most magical moment today was:

Each has a line or two for entries.

Photos and Snapshots:

Entries for roll#, 5 shot #'s with descriptions. (Note: I find this area to be worthless, but due to the format it could be used for something else).

Meals and Snacks:

Entries for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks and costs. (Note: I wish this area was expanded; if you were doing a trip report and wanted to note multiple entrees and if they were thumbs up, there isn't enough room).

Budget and Expenses:

Entries for Total Budget amount, Admission, Meals (x3), Shopping (x2), Other (x2), and Total Expenses (Note: This area is worthless to me; if I worried about expenses at WDW, I'd drive myself crazy; the format here is fairly limiting.)

Notes for next time:

11 blank half-lines

Due to it's envelope nature, you could put index cards or small pieces of paper (or folded up pieces) inside to include more info or more room for writing stuff down. The downside is that it is a paper envelope - if it gets wet, you're hosed.

Whew.

All this said, I'm still not the type to whip out a pen and paper and write down "Beaver Tail, Cinnamon, $8.50" or "Body Wars, 2 thumbs up, one throwing up" remarks as I go. I'm much more likely to use it as a planner upfront and as a journal of sorts after the fact.

Bruce

[Cinderellafifi]

One thing is for sure - now we all know you will be taking particularly good notes about your trip. We expect one heck of a detailed trip report when you get back! :p

[wdwjeff]

For me, personally, I know I wouldn't make notes as I went along. After checking out review of all the guides, I bought Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide, and am very happy with it. I think the feature I like most is the fact that it has cutout plans(one page per park) in the back that summarize the detailed plans in the book. That way, you can read the details ahead of time, and just take the one-page plan with you to the parks.:) :) :)

[lvbug]

I agree. When your on vacation you want to relax and enjoy it, not constantly be taking notes. But, if you had your own Disney Online Forum, you might take it with you so that you could make a detailed trip report.